So, tell me, genius...

Originally Posted by Hand/of/Midas

you same guys will jump on another wheel size before that happens. repeat, repeat......

What frames and forks will you fit this "other" wheel size into? I'm guessing you're not talking about going smaller. Obviously 650B won't fit in all existing 26'er frames and forks at the moment, but it will fit into many...and it would fit into most all new 26'er frames and forks with just the smallest tweak by the manufacturers as new model frames and forks are developed. Think about it. It would either mean the abandonement of the 26'er format over time or at least the option of using both when one wanted. No weird geometries...plenty of options...almost no downside. It sounds pretty logical to me. IMO if one had possessed a crystal ball in the past to look forward for the most logical wheel sizes, we probably would have settled on a field looking something like 20, 24, 650B, and 29 for MTB. 20???...yes...the kiddies have to start somewhere.

it costs lots of money to start cranking out rims, forks, tires, frames, etc. in a new format.

29er has finally become affordable.

with the hit on the economy i doubt that manufacturers are willing to go on a limb and risk more.

the cool thing about 650b is that it doesn't take much to make 26 bikes and forks 650b friendly. if newer designs were made with 650 in mind, it wouldn't be too difficult to switch. all you really would need is tires and wheels.

if you could buy a bike with a 650 or 26 setup (your choice) because the frame builders and fork builders were on the same page, it'd be real nice.

the way things currently are is that you have to scrounge for compatilble parts and some of it is still trial and error. and the fact that it's still relatively rare, it costs more money.

you same guys will jump on another wheel size before that happens. repeat, repeat......

You may have a point, I guess you are referring to 29'er.

After years of little interest I have begun to demo ride some full suspension 29'ers again and found some big improvements. My early demos of 29'ers in '01 or '02 were disappointing, much due to the poor gripping Nano-raptor tires. But I could see they would make great single speed and XC bikes for taller riders.

The 29'er tire selection is much better for rough trails now but of course heavier and less nimble feeling. And travel is nearly 5 inches on a couple of advanced suspension designs I like. The Pivot 429 is particularly impressive in handling nimbleness for XC to lighter AM, but only 4 inches of firm travel.

But after a demo of any new 29'er so far I get back on my 5.5 inch travel 650b Mojo with coil suspension and it rolls nearly as easily over slow rough trail, and it's lighter, stiffer (except Pivotís 29íer), more nimble and plush on bigger hits and drops, and more versatile for steep climbing or downhill and rough trail with a non-modified adjustable travel 130-160mm travel coil fork.

Iíll expand my prediction for the future:
29'er for alternative medium and larger sized XC trail bikes.
650b for all sizes XC to heavy-duty 7 inch travel AM trail bikes with up to heavy duty 2.5 tire sizes.
And 26'ers for heavy duty AM/FR riders wanting larger tire sizes that are just too heavy to climb with heavy duty 650b tires larger than 2.5. And 26íers for downhill and extreme cliff jump shuttle bikes needing very large volume heavy-duty tires (which are already very close in tire diameter to 650b).
For exhibition and jump park bikes either BMX or 650b bikes would be optimum depending on size of jumps and groomed smoothness.

Again it appears that 650b would be the optimum standard wheel size for the vast majority of mountain bike riders.